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Almost all ordinary sentient beings believe that there is a self, and that is so real, it feels so real. But few people contemplate what on earth is "self" actually? Where is it? What does it look like? Those who contemplate, fish for evidence (investigate), and those who knows and sees it as it is - all of these have become realized beings, awakened beings, great liberated beings. In truth, is there any "self"? If we say that there is, why is it that all the great venerable masters and all the realized beings have said that there is no self? If we say that there isn't (a self), why is it that all ordinary people feel like there exists a self?

If we wish to discuss about self, first of all we have to determine what exactly is the “self”? What characteristics does it have? What natures must it possess in order to be called a self? Self would have to possess two points: first is eternal and unchanging, second is ability to dictate/control phenomena. Only when it possesses these two points, could it be called a self, otherwise based on what are we calling it self? There is one thing, if it is like this yesterday, tomorrow it is like that, the next day, the next year, and many years later, a decade later it is completely of another state, then it cannot be said to be self. Why is it so? Self is unchanging, if it has changed why call it self again (it is no longer self already)? This is point one. The second point is, if it is I/mine then we could have things happen the way the mind desires, and hold onto events and phenomena, whatever events should be under our management and control, otherwise why call it self? As for the body, when it is time to get old can you make it not get old? When the stomach is hungry are you able to make it not get hungry? When sick, can you make it not get sick? With regards to mind, when there’s suffering can you make it not suffer? When the brain is thinking can you make it not think? When craving, anger and ignorance arise can you control it not to arise? As with body and with mind, you are unable to dictate or take control of them, nor can you hold onto them without letting them change, therefore from these we could know, having looked everywhere there is nothing that fulfils these two points in which the “self” exists.

This is the inability to find any existence that could fulfill the two points stated above through intellectual reasoning, therefore saying/concluding that there is no self. However this is only the theoretical side, if we want to understand no-self on a perceptual/experiential level, you still need to practically investigate/examine/observe and authenticate, that is cultivation and realization. Since there is no self, then who is it that knows and who is it that is aware? Who is it that is able to think? Who is seeing, hearing, awaring, eating, drinking, shitting, pissing and sleeping? Coming to this point, this is precisely where you should give rise to doubt, where you should clarify/make clear!! Coming to this point, even the Buddha is unable to make you understand through speaking, therefore there is a saying, “one road going upwards, a thousand sages does not pass down”; it is not that they do not pass down (teachings) nor speak, rather it is that they have spoken and transmitted much but it is just that you do not understand. Because this matter calls for an intimate seeing (insight). For example, the World Honoured One (Buddha) bites an Amla fruit (apple), and was profuse in his praises, saying its taste is so wonderful and so crisp, fragrant and pleasant. However no matter how realistically he narrates that taste, no matter how accurate, how apt, how vivid, how rich, you are still unable to understand it, unless you also take a bite. This is the important point and crucial key towards attaining the way!

When there is no self, not one bit of all events and all phenomena, seeing, hearing, and awaring is missing. There is no self, but there’s the ability to know, the ability to be aware, the wonderful taste of this can only be known by those who have realized this themselves. Wisdom is self-known, it has nothing to do with a personal/subjective self. The wondrous functions of the sands of ganges (meaning: countless) naturally manifests. Knowing, doing (manifest) but there is no self, in the background of the mind and body, there is no actor, there is no doer, there is no receiver/feeler, yet all works and assignments continue to be accomplished as usual, furthermore the efficiency at work is high, no longer giving rise to suffering, it is truly wonderful. The knowing of no-self, knows away all knower; the function/uses of no-self, uses up all user/function-er. In brief, no-self is replete with (countless) wondrous virtues like sands of ganges. There is knowing, but one does not impute knowing on top of knowing, that is original knowing, and that is the knowing (wisdom) functions of no-self. Like a clear mirror, is always able to reflect, but the mirror that is able to reflect does not say I am able to reflect. (Note: I'm not too sure of the following translation so please suggest any corrections where needed) If the mirror says that I am able to reflect, the mirror's energy/spirit/divinity goes out. When the mirror's energy/spirit/divinity goes out, the mirror loses its originality, enters into illusions, and whatever one sees are illusions. If the mirror's energy does not deludedly give rise to I-reflect/subject-reflector in the midst of original reflection, that is the divine mirror’s original state. Our life is just like a divine mirror, that other situation is just like this, they are not two. All who deeply tastes this explanation, can you suddenly penetrate (and see)? Wisdom knows by itself, in it there is no self. Knowing without a self, is known as true knowing. The knowing of true knowing, is the same as Buddha’s knowing/knowledge.

The experience of no-self is not veiled in mystery, nor is it beyond reach, ordinary people often experience it, and often enter it. It is only that they do not know it. For example, when one is concentrated and fully engaged in one’s work, one forgets one’s self and enters into joy, during sleep when there is no thinking nor dreams, at those times where have the self gone to? All these are the times when ordinary people enter into the state of no-self, it is only that they do not know it, and cannot realize the wisdom of “always already no-self” from this! All these times of forgetting self are the entries and opportunities for entering and realizing no-self. We often think that forgetting the self means there is a self, but you temporarily forgot about it. If there was truly a self that you have forgotten about, then who is there during the state of forgetting that is seeing, hearing, and awaring, and accurately dealing with whatever comes up? Our experience of forgetting self is one of the opportunities and gateways for realizing no-self; when we forget the self and yet is able to see, hear and be aware, that capacity and knowing that responses to everything is life’s divinity and light (original consciousness, original awareness) that we have to recognise and encounter! Usually, when we no longer feel a self – the times of forgetting self, no self, one is yet better able to serve others and face everything; but when we feel that there is a self, we’re however unable to dictate or take control of all the events and phenomena. From this we can know, “self” is in truth an illusion, when there is no self it is not that there is truly no self, when there is self it is not that there is truly a self. In that original state, it is not that there is a self, nor is it that there is no self, as for this actual condition, how can we put it?

There is always already no self, yet why is it that the masses have an obvious, (seemingly) real sense of self (feeling of self)? All lifeforms are always already without a self, but due to a mistaken thought at the beginning, a wrong identification, a wrong belief, that gave rise to self, and thought after thought agrees/affirms, thought after thought strengthens this sense of a subjective self, a feeling of existence, reality, seemingly real, and solid. All these made us stop doubting and contemplating “what is the self, does it even exist or not in final analysis?” Society and the masses commonly regard the self to be existing, and our stories mutually support each other, society’s laws are also built upon such, therefore there is the current situation of today whereby the sentient beings of Jambudvipa commonly holds onto a (notion of) self. Because the sentient beings of this world have varying knowledge and understandings, therefore they have different understandings with regards to the Subject-entity of "Self": generally, children treat the “body” as self, ordinary adults treat the “mind” as self, while those that have pondered over and explored, or those who have some knowledge and understandings, would go a step further and abstractify various illusory phenomena as Self such as a “soul”, “Great Self”, “Brahman”, “God”, etc. However, no matter what the masses conceive, the truth of things does not change, no matter how (seemingly) real that sense of self is or how strong it is, it is but a deluded conceiving, an understanding that is not in the least substantive (with basis)!

Although there is always already no self, yet the masses feel a “self”, what is that feeling of “self” of the masses like? Where does it abide in? How does it come and go? All sentient beings are always already without a self, “self” is just that flashing moment of thought during pondering, it is a solid illusion/wrong impression from without beginning, it is illusory like phenomena in a dream, like reflections of a mirror, like the moon in the pond, like the resounding in space, like the child of a stone-woman (barren woman), like the second head of a person, it appears through imagination, it (appears) real due to identification, it (seems) true due to not being awakened/aware. How do we narrate the face of “self”? It is like the ghost of a painting, it is like the god of a cat, it is like a pinacosaurus, it is like the eight year old child narrating the faces of his eighteenth generation’s descendents, it is like… All in all, there is always already no self, there is no where (which self) abides; there is originally/always already no self, no coming nor going; always already no self, illusorily appears and illusorily ceases. Finally, one must still be clear about: there is always already no self, but there is an innate/natural wisdom; that natural/innate wisdom too is illusory, everything is unreal; all forms are illusory!

1. Practitioners that are paying close attention to oneself, experiencing oneself, continuously and directly looking into life's fundamental substance, will often encounter a kind of vast, pure/undefiled, seemingly unmoving state of "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness". And there are those who think that just this is "Buddha-Nature", "Buddha", "The Original Face". This is actually not so, do not have a mistaken idea.

2. This vast, peaceful, seemingly unmoving state of "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness", is a kind of undefiled state of mental consciousness. It still has arising and cessation, it is still a dharma of arising and cessation. If you do not see this, when a person dies, or faints, or undergoes the deep dreamless sleep during the night, where is this "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness" residing at? No more (?)! From this we know, the "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness" is also arising and ceasing dharmas, it is not the not permanent and not impermanent Buddha-Nature/original face.

3. This vast, peaceful, seemingly unmoving state of "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness", is also called "the luminous-form body", and also called "the body apart from the body". It is still a form of "appearance", similar to the appearance of our form/physical body, it is similarly an appearance. One isn't superior to the other, nor is one of a higher class. If we "seize upon conditions" and treat it is as my Self, when the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month comes (meaning the time of death), we'll see who will you adhere to?

4. If we think that the pure state of "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness" is the Self, is the Original Face, that would be another kind of self-grasping, it is an image of self in another form. It is like dropping the physical body yet treating the luminous body as Self, Mine, in such a case of dropping and grasping, it is like a blind man picking maize, dropping one yet picking another; it is also like a big yellow dog biting on a bone, dropping the jawbone of a donkey and picking up a bone of a deer. Always unable to rest and withdraw the hands, always unable to empty one's mouth. One is always not a man that is clean and free of things (to do), unable to be truly liberated.

5. This state of "clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness", can only be made use of, but should not be "seized upon" (grasped at), and even more one should never establish it as Self or Mine. Abiding in such a state could allow us to enjoy a sense of refreshment but we should never stubbornly guard it. If we stubbornly guard it, we are finding another post for tying horses, or a donkey peg (is this right?), again entering into a kind of cave of a black mountain, a bucket of black lacquer. No matter what we are carrying, no matter what we are guarding after, one will always never obtain freedom, it belongs to contrived actions, it is all action/conditioned dharmas.

6. Protecting/keeping after realization, is not protecting/keeping it: it is also not to realize it. It is only a "by-product" of realization, it is naturally encountered. Protecting/keeping, is simply keeping the non-arising of subject and object, even if it has arisen one also does not grasp at it. Protecting/keeping is to sustain a kind of state in which life flows smoothly without obstructions, it is not about protecting/keeping a something. If we protect/keep a something, that is not protecting/keeping, that is finding a post for tying horse, finding a golden cage or silver cage or crystal cage or other similar kinds of cages.

7. "The Clear Knowing of Spirit/Intelligent Awareness" is only a kind of use/function of life, just like the uses/functions of walking, standing, sitting and lying down. We should not overvalue that which is inexpensive, we should not over-weigh that which is light, we should not mythologize it, nor sanctify it, that would be walking into the deep mountains of fantasies/deluded thoughts, and not coming to the country of truth. When the clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness manifests, we simply know it as it is, but do not hold nor protect/keep, nor do we restrict nor prevent, simply know and use it as it is; treating it should be similar to treating our own physical body.

8. The bright moon shines in the sky, that is still the man below rank (not yet entering the gate). The clear knowing of spirit/intelligent awareness, should never lead to the stubborn arising of views. Establishing subject and object in the midst of seeing, birth and death comes yet another round. When the root (sense faculty) and dust (sense object) meet, clear appearances are also illusions. All that are illusions should be left, we should not give rise to thoughts of craving. The appearance of bright and clear spirit/intelligence is not the Buddha's original face. Buddha has ten thousand faces, each face is fresh and alive. Speaking up to ask the noble man, which face is the Buddha's face? Where is the Buddha's face? Who knows and who has seen it before? When you are able to see the Dharmakaya, it is clearly right in front.

观自在的三个阶段 (The Three Stages of Observing/Contemplating Freedom)
(2012-07-31 08:44:30)

涉入修行，从一个凡夫到一位观自在菩萨，大约经历三步路： Embarking on cultivation, from being an ordinary person to becoming a Bodhisattva that observes/contemplates freedom (another name for Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva), there are roughly three steps to undergo:

When reading these three words, the emphasis lies on the word "freedom", "freedom" is the object of observation. When an ordinary person practices, and begins to observe the actions of mind and body, walking-standing-sitting-lying down, whatever is performed is without obstructions... this is the coarsest level of "observing/contemplating freedom".

此时的“观”是动词，自在是“宾语”，动宾结构。此时之观，重点落在所观的对象，即心所，一切法“尘”之上！

At this point in time, "observing" is a verb, "freedom" is an object, it is a verb-object structure. At this stage of observing, the emphasis lies in the object of observation, the object of mind, the "dusts" of all dharmas!

此个阶段的修习，是“背觉合尘”阶段，练习所生成的主要效果是专注、清静。属修定的范围。
这种观还属于凡夫位的观。

This stage of practice is the stage of "turning one's back on Awareness and uniting with the dust", the main results that come from such cultivation is concentration and tranquility. It belongs to the arena of cultivating samadhi.

This kind of observing still belongs to the observing of ordinary beings.

二、“观”自在。观“能”期。

2. "Observing" freedom. Period of observing "Subject"

读这三个字时，重点落在“观”字上。此阶段的重点，在于所观的主体。

When reading these three words, the emphasis lies in the word "Observing". At this stage the emphasis lies in the Subject of observation.

这是又进化一层的观自在，由开始观心所，移行到开始观察心上来，即那变化中的不变者。

This is "observing freedom" being evolved to another level, from the "observing the objects of mind" at the beginning, proceeding into beginning to observe the Mind itself, that is the changeless Subject in the midst of changes.

此时，“观”字的词性，开始由动词化为名词，“观”是主语，“自在”是宾语，主宾结构。这一阶段的观行重点，在心的觉性上，即对尘而生的心镜上。

At this point, the word class of "Observing" , begins to be transformed from a verb into a noun, "Observing" is a Subject, "freedom" is an object, it is of a subject-object structure. At this stage the emphasis in contemplation lies in the Mind's Awareness-nature, that Mind's mirror which manifests when encountering dusts.

这个阶段的观，是“背尘合觉”阶段，即修行人常说的“返闻闻自性”、“观观”、“见见”、“闻闻”、“觉觉”等。此期开始涉入修慧。

At this stage of Observing, it is the stage of "turning one's back on dust to unite with Awareness", or what practitioners often call "turning the perceiving around to perceive Self-Nature", "Observing the Observing", "Seeing the Seeing", "Hearing the Hearing", Awareness of Awareness", etc. From this phase onwards one begins to embark on practicing Wisdom.

这种观属于菩萨位的观。

This kind of Observing belongs to the observing of the Bodhisattva seat.

三、观自在。离能所期。Observing freedom. Period of departing from subject-object.

此时的观，不在二元里缠缚了，离开了能与所。没有观者，没有所观，纯一心光。心如明镜，得大圆镜智。

The observing of this point in time does not fall into the binds of dualism, it departs from Subject and Object. There is no Observer, there is no object of observation, there is purely a single mind's luminosity. Mind is like a clear mirror, attaining to the wisdom of the perfect great mirror wisdom.

此时的“观自在”三个字，是“观——独自存在”、“唯‘观’存在”的意思。此时的语句，不再是主宾或动宾结构，它仅是一个陈述句，不含有“动作”。

At this point the words "observing freedom" means "observation - alone exists", "only 'observation' exists". At this point the sentence is no longer of a verb-object nor subject-object structure, it is purely a declarative sentence/statement, and does not contain any "action".

这是离“能、所”期，入“无为法”期，成“大菩萨”期，受“寂灭乐”期，做“无事闲人”期，了悟“诸法无自性”期。

This is the period of leaving "subject, object", entering into the "dharma of non-action"/"unconditioned dharma", the period of becoming the "Great Bodhisattva", enjoying the "bliss of quiescent cessation", the period of becoming the "free man without anything to do", the period of realizing "all dharmas are without self-nature".

At this point one deeply understands, "the nature of all dharmas are originally empty, all appearances of dharmas are purely [the fabrications of] consciousness", directly experiencing "all dharmas are empty appearances". The state of the 260 words of Heart Sutra, is precisely seen in this kind of "contemplating/observing freedom". This is the Observing of Buddha that has crossed over to the other shore.

The above-mentioned three kinds of observing are gradual to some people and non-gradual to some people. Those practitioners at a lower state of evolution can only observe up to whatever is within and prior to his present state of evolution, whereas those practitioners at a higher level of evolution can simultaneously observe all states.

一念行者，One Thought Traveler, 一个走在路上、站在街上或坐在椅子里的人。A person who is walking on the road, standing on the streets or sitting on a chair.以心为田，Taking mind as the field,以字为籽，Taking words as seeds,以书当种，Taking books as seeds,春耕夏锄，spring ploughing and summer weeding,心灵老农。an old farmer of mind and spirit.没有过去，也没有未来，There is no past, and also no future,仅有当下一个不停变幻着的念头。there is purely this present thought that is ceaselessly fluctuating.身份：一念； Identity: one thought名字：一念； Name: one thought全部的所有：一念。The entirety of everything: one thought.一念行者，一念觉行。One thought traveler, one thought awareness action.

一念何物？谁是行者？What is one thought? Who is the traveler?

一念，心上过客。One thought, a passerby of mind.心中只有念头，Within mind there is only one thought,一念即是行者，That one thought is the traveler,行者即是一念。That traveler is just that one thought.念头为心行者，Thought is mind's traveler,除此一念，Apart from one thought,别无它物，There is nothing else,别无人，There is no other person,别无行者。There is no other traveler,一念在行，One thought is traveling,不停不驻，Without stopping nor staying,本就行者，it already is the traveler,故名一念行者。Therefore it is called one thought traveler.

The following is the first article expressing insight of anatta as far as I can trace. If you know Chinese and can help correct and improve this translation, please inform me. Thank you!

自性之论 The Doctrine of Self-Nature(2012-02-01 09:32:26)

诸菩萨摩诃萨，不要因为我说自性就以为有自性，并且以为自性是实有。自性无性！

All Bodhisattva Mahasattvas,Do not think that there is a self-nature just because I said "self-nature",And thereby think that self-nature is truly existing.Self-nature is without nature!

一切法无自性，一切我无自性，一切心无自性。

All dharmas are without self-nature,All selves are without self-nature,All minds are without self-nature.

诸有情众生，常常将觉性视为我之自性，并非如此； 觉性无性！

All sentient beings,often deem awareness-nature as one's self-nature,(but) it is actually not so;awareness-nature is without nature!

诸有情之心，以觉性为依托；若无觉性，即无众生之心。诸有情之觉性，以十二有为相为依托，若无十二有为相即无觉性。

All sentient [beings'] minds, are supported by awareness-nature;if there is no awareness-nature, there will not be sentient being's mind.All sentient being's awareness-nature are supported by the appearance of twelve sense bases,If there are no appearances of twelve sense bases, there is no awareness-nature.

诸众生之心坐落在觉性上，犹如你坐在蒲垫上；诸众生之觉性坐落在十二有为相上，犹如你坐在床铺上。

All sentient beings' minds are situated/located at awareness-nature,just like you're sitting on a cushion,all sentient beings' awareness is situated/located at the twelve sense bases' appearances,just as if you're sitting on a bed.

诸众生十二有为相坐落在六根上，若无六根，即无觉心； 若无觉心，即无觉性； 若无觉性，即无自性！

All sentient beings' twelve conditioned sense bases' appearances are situated/located at the six sense faculties,if there are no six sense faculties, there is no awareness-mind;if there is no awareness-mind, there is no awareness-nature;if there is no awareness-nature, there is no self-nature!

The seeing-nature dependent on the eyes, exists because of being supported by brightness and darkness,the hearing-nature dependent on the ears, exists because of being supported by movement and stillness,the smelling-nature dependent on the nose, exists because of being supported by penetration and obstruction,the tasting-nature dependent on the tongue, exists because of being supported by sweetness, bitterness and blandness,the sensing/awareness-nature dependent on the body, exists because of being supported by contact with and separation from (objects of touch)the knowing-nature dependent on thought, exists because of being supported by arising and cessation.

If we remove brightness and darkness from seeing-nature, where is seeing-nature?If we remove movement and stillness from hearing-nature, where is hearing-nature?If we remove penetration and obstruction from smelling-nature, where is smelling-nature?If we remove sweetness, bitterness and blandness from tasting-nature, where is tasting-nature?If we remove contact with and separation from (objects of touch) from sensing/awareness-nature, where is sensing/awareness-nature?If we remove arising and cessation from knowing-nature, where is knowing-nature?

The appearance of brightness is easy to pass/transient, the appearance of darkness is difficult to lose, because seeing-nature and the appearance of darkness are closely-knitted,Bodhisattva Mahasattvas seeing that seeing-appearances does not cease; take the non-ceasing of seeing-appearance to mean that the seeing-nature is permanent;and because of this [conceived] permanency of seeing-nature, thereby Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that seeing-nature has self-nature.In actuality it is not so.

The appearance of movement is easy to pass, the appearance of stillness is difficult to be rid if, hearing-nature and the appearance of stillness are closely knitted, thereforeBodhisattva Mahasattvas seeing that hearing-appearance is not ceasing; take the non-ceasing of hearing-appearance to mean that hearing-nature is permanent;and because of this [conceived] permanency of hearing-nature, Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that hearing-nature has self-nature.In actuality it is otherwise.

以相类故，菩萨摩诃萨以为嗅性有自性，菩萨摩诃萨以为尝性有自性，菩萨摩诃萨以为觉性有自性，菩萨摩诃萨以为知性有自性。

Because of similar (reasons),Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that smelling-nature has self-nature.Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that tasting-nature has self-nature.Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that awareness/sensing-nature has self-nature.Bodhisattva Mahasattvas think that knowing-nature has self-nature.

是则不然！

夜晚无所梦中，

一切法尘不再旋复，十二有为相不复显隐，

汝知觉性，居于何处？

自性无性，因缘显性！

In actuality it is otherwise!When there are no dreams whatsoever in the night,all dharma-dusts are no longer spinning, the twelve conditioned sense bases' appearances are no longer appearing nor disappearing,Where is awareness-nature residing?Self-nature is without nature, nature manifests according to causes and conditions!

Because it is difficult to be rid of the dusts [sense objects] appearances of the six sense faculties,and due to the flowing of the twelve conditioned sense bases' appearances,Bodhisattva Mahasattvas thought that the knowing-nature is not-ceasingbecause of this [conceived] permanency of knowing, [mistakenly] think that self-nature is eternal,and based on the permanency of self-nature, think that self-nature has a nature.In actuality it is otherwise!All Bodhisattva Mahasattvas,Self-nature is without nature, due to the nature of dependent origination!

(Thusness advised me to remove some later parts which he and I thought are confusing and lacks clarity.)